Checkov's Gun vs. Red Herring

I've recently familiarized myself with the theory and practice of what writers call "Checkov's Gun". I'm writing this blog today because I'm constantly surprised and invigorated by these little writing secrets and cliches I've come across.

Do you know what a red herring is?

How about a MacGuffin?

Checkov's Gun is another one of those intriguing little anecdotes that gives a name to something that writers know about, but didn't know what to call it.

Checkov's gun refers to the use of introducing a seemingly benign item or object early on in the story that turns out to play a pivotal role in the plot later on. (See link above for more info.)

A red herring is the opposite of Checkov's Gun. A red herring is a useless, meaningless object, person or occurrence that diverts your attention away from the truth or the suspect or the issue at hand. If not done properly, a red herring could lead to holes in the plot of the story and confuse the reader.

In one of my books, (and I'm not telling which one) I used a red herring to make an innocent person look guilty. If I didn't use this little trick, the plot would be thin and extremely predictable. So, red herrings can be useful if used properly.

I'd like to thank my friend Jessie for allowing me to participate in her recent workshop "Stargate Deconstruction". The movie Stargate has several excellent examples of Checkov's Gun. It was this workshop that introduced me to the concept.

Before I knew what Checkov's Gun was, I identified the concept in books and movies. I tried to explain it to my non-writer husband. All I got was a polite nod loaded with extreme disinterest. I suppose it's only
fascinating to writers and that's okay.

Red herrings and Checkov's Gun are both useful tools to make your stories richer and more dramatic. At the very least, I feel like a better writer just knowing what they are and how to identify them. I hope I was able to help you as well.

BFN